Still

Still /stil/
Adjective
Not moving or making a sound.
Noun
Deep silence and calm; stillness.

Life is anything but still here on the farm lately. Since the last time I blogged there have been two trips to the hospital with my mom via ambulance, several bald colds for everyone else, a couple chicklets had severe "gastrointestinal distress" (my very least favorite thing about motherhood by the way ... I can handle just about anything, but hurling is just the worst!), an unexplained case of full body hives for the Little Prince and the everyday chaos that is living in a house with one octogenarian, two middle-aged parental units, one t.eenager in the throes of teenage angst, one drama queen and a rambunctious toddler. Yeah, stillness is just dream for this Mama Hen ... a much missed, much needed dream.

I'm not one to make resolutions for the NewYear. I've "been there, done that" and find it doesn't do much except set myself up for failure. A few years ago I started something new. I decided to choose one word to sum up my focus for the next year. I have chosen "still" as this years word. Oh I am fully aware that it will be an elusive goal, but I know in my heart that is no reason not to seek it.

I would like to think that the mayhem that is my life is something I have no control over. Doing that let's me hang out at my "pity party for one" and put the blame elsewhere. I mean who wants to admit they are part of the problem? (If you can't relate, well then lucky you!). If I were to be brutally honest with myself, I would see there is a lot I could do to make life more peaceful. To start with, I could make two major changes that might help to bring a little more "still" to my world.

1. Declutter

This one is a biggie. The farmhouse is full to the brim of stuff. Way too much stuff. Stuff collected. Stuff inherited. Stuff saved. Some is stuff that is needed. Some is stuff that needs to be kept, but so much of it is just unnecessary stuff cluttering up my (our) life. Stuff that needs to go in order to instill a sense of peace and stillness here.

2. Spend time with God

This one is where I think I have the most to change and the most to gain. I would like to think I have a pretty decent relationship with God. I go to church regularly. I say grace before meals. I pray every night before bed ... well most nights anyway. But if I did that "brutally honest" thing I mentioned earlier, I would have to admit I am not as close to God as I should be.

Be still and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10

Time and time again I put Him at the bottom of my to do list when He should be at the very tippy-top! I have faith that spending time in prayer and devotion will give me the "peace that passes all understanding" (Phillipians 4:7)

Life is crazy ain't a darn thing I can do about it but do my best to be ...

still.